Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) found themselves in the driving seat against Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) as Azhar Ali smashed his 50th first-class ton on the second day of fourth round in President’s Trophy Grade I 2023-24.

SNGPL started from their overnight score of 22-0 and scored 349-7 in their allotted 80 overs, in reply to KRL’s 281-9. Azhar Ali (140, 206b, 9x4s, 2x6s) brought up his 50th first-class hundred, becoming the ninth Pakistan player to do so.

List of most first-class centuries by Pakistan batters:

108 – Zaheer Abbas

80 – Javed Miandad

73 – Majid Khan

72 – Mushtaq Mohammad

56 – Younis Khan

55 – Hanif Mohammad

53 – Shafiq Ahmed

50 – Sadiq Mohammad

50 – Azhar Ali

The opening partnership was worth 125 runs as Abid Ali (61, 108b, 9x4s) was removed by Maaz Sadaqat. He also got rid of Omair Bin Yousuf (31, 63b, 1x4) and Kamran Ghulam (10, 21b, 1x4).

Batting at number five, skipper Asad Shafiq (69, 50b, 3x4s, 3x6s), contributed with a brisk half-century to help SNGPL take a crucial 68-run lead. Maaz bagged three wickets while Umer Khan dismissed one batter.

By the end of the day, KRL had scrapped their way to 56-2 in 17 overs, as they trail by 12 runs with eight wickets left. Ali Zaryab (25 not out, 56b, 3x4s) and Imran Rafiq (2 not out, 10b) will be on the crease for KRL at the start of day three.

Scores in brief:

SNGPL vs KRL at National Bank Stadium

KRL 281-9, 80 overs (Imran Rafiq 67, Sarmad Bhatti 53, Maaz Sadaqat 42 not out; Arif Yaqoob 4-83, Mohammad Ali 2-40, Mubasir Khan 1-63) and 56-2, 17 overs (Ali Zaryab 25 not out, Abdul Faseeh 13, Azan Tariq 12; Mubasir Khan 2-6)

SNGPL 349-7, 80 overs (Azhar Ali 140, Asad Shafiq 69, Abid Ali 61; Maaz Sadaqat 3-83, Umer Khan 1-163)